A fascinating story by Carson McCullers, which was made into a play by playwright Edward Albee. An unusual performance from Vanessa Redgrave with supporting roles from Rod Steiger as the priest. The key element in the film are the shots of the chain gang that begins and ends the film as are camera shots of the fields green and fruitful that moves on the adjacent fields harvested and ready to be cultivated and the reversal of the sequence at the end. Very realistic production design. Sometimes while watching the film, you get the feeling you are watching a play on stage. Rather than a film. But the director changes that view if you watch the film closely and absorb the opening and sequences I mentioned. Walter Lassaly's cinematography, which includes arresting close-ups, is another noteworthy aspect of the film rarely discussed. Thank you, producer Ismael Merchant for doggedly pursuing the idea of bringing the tale and play to the screen. I had interviewed Merchant in 1982 in New Delhi and at that time he had not made this film. How I wish I had chance to ask him so many questions on this film! One question would have been why director James Ivory and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Merchant's trusted collaborators on so many films, opted out of this one.